Ponder: Love Story

Fifty years has gone by since Erich Segal published that ever popular novel Love Story. The book was accompanied by the release of the 1970 movie of the same name starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw. This being February, the month of valentines, I thought I would re-read the book. Actually, I believe I have never read it and I wanted to.

I borrow the 50th Anniversary Edition from a sister library of my local Livermore one. I thoroughly enjoyed the quick read – my paperback version was only 131 pages long.

The opening sentences of Love Story contain a spoiler.

What can you say about a twenty-five year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful. And brilliant. That she loved Mozart and Bach. And the Beatles. And me.

The introduction to the 50th anniversary addition is written by Francesca Segal, daughter of Erich Segal. She succinctly describes the book as

... a simple love affair between Harvard hockey star Oliver Barrett IV and the wise-cracking working-class music scholar Jenny Cavilleri.

In the introduction (oddly enough not in my book copy but available on the Amazon Look inside⤵︎ feature) Francesca Segal goes on to explain an aspect I had not truly appreciated from seeing the movie many years ago.

Part of its enduring appeal, half a century later, is that it is really two love stories – the first between a man and a woman, the second, no less poignant, between a man and his son.

I also learned from that introduction that at the time he wrote Love Story, Erich Segal was a young professor at Yale and had just learned that a former student of his from Harvard has lost his wife to cancer at age twenty-five.

I immensely enjoyed the banter throughout between Oliver and Jennifer. Here is a sample from their first meeting.

"You look stupid and rich, " she said, removing her glasses.
"You're wrong," I protested. "I'm actually smart and poor."
She was staring straight at me. Her eyes were brown. Okay maybe I look rich, but I wouldn't let some 'Cliffie – even one with pretty eyes – call me dumb.
"What the hell makes you so smart?" I asked.
"I wouldn't go for coffee with you", she answered.
"Listen – I wouldn't ask you."
"That," she replied, "is what makes you stupid."

This book made me laugh and yes, it made me cry. Some books do deserve a re-read, especially when your stage in life has changed and, along with it, your perspective. Now I am going to re-watch the movie and probably cry again. Per the Wikipedia article on Love Story 

The novel was an instant commercial success despite scathing reviews. It was nominated for a National Book Award, but withdrawn when the judges threatened to resign. William Styron, the head judge for fiction that year, called it "a banal book which simply doesn't qualify as literature" and suggested that even by being nominated it would have "demeaned" all the other novels under consideration.

Talk about snobbery! I believe Love Story by Erich Segal is an oldie but goodie, worthy of five stars.

Ponder: Sold on Monday

Along with the shocking title, the illustrations on the front and back covers fueled my desire to read Sold on Monday ©2018 by Kristina McMorris. I read it with relish and highly recommend it to others.

Ellis Reed is a rookie newspaper columnist relegated to writing fluff articles for the society column. He takes photos as part of his assignment, but to allay his boredom he periodically takes drives in the country, idly taking photos of nature and other items more interesting than the society events he covers. He comes across two young boys sitting on a porch of a rundown home near the following hand painted sign.

The novel's story starts with that photo and speeds on, unfolding a whole slew of unexpected turns of events. The newsroom's secretary, Lily Palmer, plays a key role in what follows. What is expected of her as a women in the workplace – and what she is believed incapable of – is fitting for the era of the 1930's time setting. For the newsroom editor I pictured the gruff Lou Grant from the Mary Tyler Moore Show. 

The plot is not predictable in the least. The characters are multifaceted. Relationships between Ellis and his parents and Lily and her parents are complicated, enigmatic, but steeped in love. There are few stereotypes, but those that there are, serve the purpose of setting a tone that gives credence to the reactions of the main characters and their thought processes. Yes, I realize I am being vague in this review, but there are so many unexpected, yet logical occurrences that I do not want to ruin the read for anyone who picks up this book. That goes for the author's note at the very end, also. It contains spoilers.

Ellis and Lily often act out of fear – fear of losing their jobs, or their reputation, or even their lives – but forge on because of what they believe to be morally right. Being afraid is not a weakness. I kept recalling the quote from the 2000 movie Bounce with Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow.

It's not brave if you're not scared.

I rate this novel 5 stars. There was a brief interlude in a few early chapters where I was losing confidence in the main character Ellis and I was disappointed with some of Lily's choices, but I pushed on. Nothing is black and white, and the gray shadows within gave the book depth. I am really glad I persevered to complete the tale. Kristina McMorris's Sold on Monday was great! Read it! Also, read the author's note after you've finished the book.